This manual will prepare you to find lost treasure in the hearts of people an

    Each chapter spotlights a common mistake, gives real-life examples, uses a generous dose of humor, and provides a practical course of action to recover from the error. The book draws from the experience of Seacoast Church as well as pastors such as Craig Groeschel, Chris Hodges, Perry Nobel, Mark Batterson, Dave Ferguson, Scott Chapman, Dino Rizzo, Ron Hamilton, and Dave Browning, Church leaders will be encouraged to realize that they are not the only ones who struggle, and that turning their situation around may not be as daunting a task as they think. This is a field guide for the common pastor based on actual churches of all sizes.

    Long disturbed by the Church′s struggle between offering both love and rejection, they discover what God wants from us and for us: grace for everyone.

    Dr. Kenneth Boa's personalized adaptations of Scripture turn Bible passages into prayers that bring you face to face and heart to heart with God.Face to Face: Praying the Scriptures for Intimate Worship offers daily prayers focused on:AdorationConfessionRenewalPetitionIntercessionAffirmationThanksgivingClosing prayersFace to Face: Praying the Scriptures for Intimate Worship is perfect for those who desire more personal prayers of intimacy and adoration that allow readers to express their hearts more fully to God. Bring richness to your devotional times by connecting Bible reading with personal prayer, and learn to approach both in a new way. Get ready to rediscover the Bible as your most treasured prayer book--guiding you into prayers that are alive, faith-filled, and powerful because they're grounded in God's Word.

    Jet-powered aircraft streaked toward specified targets, cannons roared, tanks lumbered, men fought and died, women wept, and children cried. The Holy Land, once the personal province of the Prince of Peace, was engulfed by war. This troubled land has witnessed much conflict throughout its history; its peoples have suffered terrible trials and tribulations. No single battle is better remembered, however, than occurred in the Valley of Elah during the year 1063 B.C. Along the mountains on one side, the feared armies of the Philistines were marshalled to march directly to the heart of Judah and the Jordan Valley. On the other side of the valley, King Saul had drawn up his armies in opposition. Historians tell us that the opposing forces were about evenly matched in number and in skill. However, the Philistines had managed to keep secret their valued knowledge of smelting and fashioning iron into formidable weapons of war. The sound of hammers pounding upon anvils and the sight of smoke rising skyward from many bellows as the smiths went about the task of sharpening weapons and fashioning new ones must have struck fear into the hearts of Saul's warriors, for even the most novice of soldiers could know the superiority of iron weapons to those of brass. As often happened when armies faced each other, individual champions challenged others from the opposing forces to single combat. There was considerable precedent for this sort of fighting; and on more than one occasion, notably during the tenure of Samson as judge, battles had been decided by individual combat. Now, however, the situation was reversed as far as Israel was concerned, and it was a Philistine who dared to challenge all others-a veritable giant of a man called Goliath of Gath. Old accounts tell us that Goliath was ten feet tall. He wore brass armor and a coat of mail. And the staff of his spear would stagger a strong man merely to lift, let alone hurl. His shield was the longest ever seen or heard of, and his sword a fearsome blade.

    Every ministry leader wants to hear these words when they meet their Lord. But what does successful ministry look like?There are many books on leadership strategies and church structures, but this one looks at what matters most: the character and attitude of church leaders. It recognizes that the spiritual health of the church leaders in large part determines the spiritual health of the congregation and therefore the success of the ministry.In this short, punchy, challenging and at times surprising book, Rico Tice draws on decades of experience in church leadership to call fellow pastors and others with oversight of areas of church ministry to define success biblically, fight their sin, lead themselves and serve their churches.A must-read on pastoral leadership for pastors, elders, worship leaders, youth leaders and anyone else with a leadership role in church ministry.

    But not everybody has to be damaged by it! Our Father has provided a means for us as His children to be delivered from the painful consequences of rejection.

    And for seventeen years they've been searching for him. Now, with their emotional and physical resources exhausted, Garrett feels that they need to face reality--Austin is never coming back. But Leah can't let go, and her obsession with finding Austin takes a terrible toll on her relationship with her husband and their two daughters. The family is on the brink of collapse. Then a stranger appears who changes everything--perhaps not for the better.